Control head for oil wells



2, 1932- c. L. DEAN ET AL 1,869,739

CONTROL HEAD FOR OIL WELLS Filed'Jan. 21, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z// 4 INVENTORJ Jim 4% LflMm/M' 0 7" YWY.

c. DEAN ET AL 1,869,739

CONTROL HEAD FOR OIL WELLS Filed Jan. 21. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS, C. L 05AM ,fl. 6947-0.

ATTORNEY.

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Patented Aug. 2, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE CHARLES L. DEAN, 03: DENVER, COLORADO, AND LEWIS D. HILTON, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T WILLIAM A. TROUT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, AND CHARLES R. BUTLER AND CHESTER A. RASMUSSEN,

BOTH OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA CONTROL HEAD FOB OIL WELLS Application filed January 21, 1929. Serial 110,833,928.

This invention relates to control heads for oil wells and it is an object of the invention to provide a control head of very simple construction and of great practicability in use, that is readily ap lied to a well casing, and which can be adjusted for the renewal of packings or worn parts without disturbing the casing with which it is associated.

A distinctive feature of the invention consists in the provision of a method for suspending a casing'in the well by means that are at all times plainly visible and accessible, and an important characteristic of this feature resides in a metal-to-metal 'oint between outer and inner members of t e head that provides a practically gas tight connection without the aid of packing devices usually found in control heads of this type.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a control head of the above stated character, means to automatically center a casing with relation thereto.

A further object is to provide in a control head, an outlet for gases from between strings of easing, below the means by which the head is packed to render it gas tight and still other objects reside in details of construction and in novel combinations and arrang'ements of parts, as will appear in the course of the following description.

By the use of, the improved control head, the stretch may be taken out of the casing in a very simple manner, and all adjustments are easily accomplished because of the several parts comprised in the head being accessible at the outside of the same.

In the accompanying drawings, in the several views of which like parts have been similarly designated,

Figure 1 represents a partially sectional elevation of the improved control head as applied to a well casing,

Figure 2, a plan view of a supporting memr forming a part of the construction,

Figure 3, a side elevation of the part shown in Figure 2,

Figure 4, a composite view drawn to an enlarged scale and showing partially in section and partially in elevation, the improvements applied to a base section of a well structure,

Figure 5, a sectional elevation showing a plurality of the control heads in cooperative association for the support of concentric well tubings,

Figure 6, a fragmentary section on the line 66, Figure 5, and s Figure 7, a similar section taken along the line 7-7, Figure 5.

Referring first to Figure 1 of the drawings, the reference numeral 19 designates a tubing or casing suspended by means of the control head.

The head comprises a base element 8 which in practice, is secured in place to provide a stable support for the suspension element by means of which the casing is suspended in the well.

The base element, as shown in Figure 1, has a circular body exteriorly screw-threaded at its lower end and provided at its upper end with an outwardly projecting flange 10.

The element has in its body portion, screwthreaded openings 17 for the outlet of gases from the Well into conduits 18 which by connection-with the openings, conduct the gases to a distant point of escape.

In case the base element is of reduced height as is sometimes required in order to adapt the head for use as a lower section of a. stack of heads, the outlet opening may be made narrow at the inside of the element and tapered to the outside of the same as illustrated at 15 in Figures and 6. Otherwise the openin s are of uniform diameter, as indicated in igure 7.

The flange of the element may be provided with concentric grooves for the application of packing rings 12 and- 13, whenit is desired to provide a gas tight joint around vantageous in that it prevents the casing as it is lowered into the well, from being stopped in its descent by collars on the casing catching with sharp edges in the opening through which the casing passes.

The suspensionelement, hereinbefore referred to, consists of two members 20 and 21. The member 20 consists of a tubular collar, internally screw-threaded at its ends and circumferentially grooved as at 20a for its connection with the other member.

This other member 21 comprises a ring fitted into the groove 20a of the mernber 20 and projecting outside the same for the support of the suspension element upon the base element.

The ring is made in two halves, as shown in Figure 2, and its lower portion is reduced in diameter and chamfered at its lower exterior edge as at 21a, to enter into the chamfered portion 14 of the bore of the base element. The portion of the ring above its reduced portion constitutes a shoulder 22 which rests upon the base element for the support of the suspension element.

The ring is furthermore provided with tapped holes 24 for the application of tools that may be required to assist in placing the ring within the roove of the collar, under gas-pressure, an the ring has an external groove 23 for the application of a wire band when under similar conditions it is necessary to secure the halves of the ring in place.

Under ordinary conditions, the head as hereinabove described, is complete for the suspension of a casing in a. well, and, in conjunction with other similar heads, for the suspension of two or more concentric casings when the well is of greater depth.

If, however, the gas pressure in an oil well to which the head is applied, has enough force to lift the suspension element ofl its seat on the base element, it is necessary to provide suitable means for holding the suspension element against excessive upward motion,

' and to pack the joint between the two elements against the escape of gases.

An eflicient and practical packing device has been shown in the drawings as consisting of a ring 27 coextensive with the flange 10 of the base element and resting upon the before mentioned packings 12 and 13 laced in the grooves of t e flan The pac ing ring 27 and the flange 10 fii ave registering bolt holes and are fastened together by means of bolts 53 and nuts 53a.

The packing ring 27 is recessed to admit the portion of the ring 21 projecting outside the groove of the collar 20 audit is further recessed as at 29, for the application of a packing that engages the collar above its groove. A gland 31 drawn into the groove y nuts on stud bolts 54 causes the packing to expand against the collar. 7

It is to be observed that the packing ring 27 loosely embraces the ring 21 of the suspension element. It has no function whatsoever in the suspension of the casing, and if the gas pressure in the well is slight it may, as stated hereinbefore, be entirely omitted.

It will be noted that the packing-device may be applied after the casing is sus ended from the base element of the head an without disturbing the position of the casing or any part of the head.

Figure 4 of the drawings shows a modification of the base element of the head for its support on a foundation around the mouth of the well.

The base element has, to this end, a bottom flange 47 provided with an upturned rim 38 and strengthened by webs39. The base element has been shown as supported upon a concrete foundation 40 and in fluid ti ht en gagement with a casing 5 that lines the wall of the well.

The element is secured upon its foundation by nuts 46 on stud bolts 45 that project through sleeves 44 formed on the lower flange of the element.

The base element may be provided with outwardly projecting hooks 9 which facilitate moving the element in assembling and which also may be used to clamp the element in place. r

In Figure 5 has been illustrated the method of supporting one control head upon another when there is more' than one casing or tubing in a well of greater depth. The base element of the upper head is screwed into the top of the collar of the lower head, all the constituent parts of the upper head being reduced in diameter with respect to the lower head. It will be understood that in this manner several heads may be assembled in one stack.

The base element of the lowermost head has been shown as connected with the outer casing or lining of the well by means of a screw threaded union 6. p 1

In order to take the slack out of a casing after it has been lowered into the well until it has reached the bottom thereof, the casing is pulled up until its bends are straightened. A mark is then made on the pipe to indicate the length to which it must be reduced to hold it permanently in suspension.

After the casing has been reduced in length by cutting it at the mark, it is fastened at the lower end of the collar of the suspension element, the sectional ringlis placed in the groove of the collar and t e suspension element thus assembled is placed upon the respective base element.

The packin device may be subsequently ap lied if so esired.

t is a distinctive feature of the invention that all the parts thereof may be assembled above the surface of the ground, without the necessity of working in what is commonly known as the cellar, which frequently is very hazardous because of poison gas in the well, and without interference by gas pressure in the well which often times is very heavy.

In this connection, it is observed that the present construction differs from others in that the lower edge of the supporting ring is under all conditions in plain sight of the operator when it is in place, thereby facilitating assemblage, removal and adjustment. The metal-to-metal joint between the inner and outer members of the control head, established by medium of the ring, is in many cases fully eilicient for the suspension of the casing with little or no detrimental esca e of gases, thereby rendering the use of pac ing devices unnecessary under certain conditions, and this metal-to-metal joint is in a plane approximately coinciding with the signatures.

CHARLES L. DEAN. LEWES D, HILTON.

upper end of the outer member, which is in full view and always accessible from the outside of the structure.

The position of the suspension means furthermore eliminates the greater part of loss of slack after the rings are put in place, particularly when the inside casing is fast at or near its bottom.

The cha-mfers of the two elements cooperate to automaticall center the casings one within another, thereby avoiding manual adjustment.

The position of the escape openings in the base element of the head permits of controlling the escape of the gas from the moment that the two elements are placed in position.

The packings are easily replaced without disturbing the casing or any part of the head proper.

The base element shown in Figure i may have a concentric series of beveled lugs 48 for its support on the'foundation. The bevel of these lugs centers the element with relation to the casing 5 that engages a packing 50 set in a concentric groove of the element.

The bolts 45 help to center the base element andsecure it in place when the nuts 46 are applied to their threaded extremities.

hat we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A control head construction for oil wells including the combination with an outer casing and an inner casing spaced therefrom, a base element, a shoulder on the base element, a coupling connecting the inner casing sections and having a groove, 0. load carrying.

ring interlocked'with said groove and resting on said shoulder, a packing flange over- 1 mg the base element and ring, fastenings the packing flange and base eleer to anchor-the inner casing to 

